Model C
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.Prince carefully designed his performances so that every element, from costumes and choreography to the look and sound of his instruments, was consistent with his artistic vision. This futuristic guitar was a gift from German princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis around 1986. Prince used it to record the majority of Sign o’ the Times (1987) and played it on his 1987 tour. It appears in the video for “Alphabet Street” (1988) and in a concert film from the Lovesexy tour (1988–89).
Technical Description:
One-piece maple body and neck; 24 ¾ in. scale; white finish; integral “headless” neck connected to extended lower body horn; active EMG single coil & humbucking pickups, 3-way selector switch, volume & tone controls; gold Auerswald locking vibrato and nut with tuners at bridge, gold knobs
Technical Description:
One-piece maple body and neck; 24 ¾ in. scale; white finish; integral “headless” neck connected to extended lower body horn; active EMG single coil & humbucking pickups, 3-way selector switch, volume & tone controls; gold Auerswald locking vibrato and nut with tuners at bridge, gold knobs
Artwork Details
- Title: Model C
- Artist: Jerry Auerswald
- Artist: Prince Rogers Nelson (American, Minneapolis, Minnesota 1958–2016 Chanhassen, Minnesota)
- Date: ca. 1986
- Medium: Maple, metal, plastic
- Dimensions: Length: ~40 in. (101.6 cm)
Width (max): ~17 in. (45 cm)
Depth: ~1 5/8 - 1 3/4 in. (4.1 - 4.4 cm)
Weight: ~12-15 lbs. - Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
- Credit Line: All Artifacts Courtesy Paisley Park Enterprises, Inc. and The Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments